Improvement in fruit-driers



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

0.1". TIFFANY.

Fruit-Drier.

No. 201,131. Patented March 12, 1878.

N- PEYERS, FNOTO-LITHDGRAPHER. WASHINGTON. Dv C.

2 Sheets-Shet 2.

N. FEEERS- FHOTWHTHOGRAPNER. WASHINGTONv D. C.

UNITE-I) STAT -s PATENT OFFICE.

' oscAnF. TIFFANY, or svnncusn, NEW YORK.

lM PROFVAEM ENT IN RUIT-om ERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 201,131, dated MarchlQ, 1878 application filed November 20, 1877.

To all whom itmay concern:

Be it known that I, OSCAR F. TIFFANY, of the city of Syracuse, State of New York, have invented 'new and useful Improvements. in Fruit-Briers, OfsWhiCh the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in that class of apparatus in which fruit, vegetables, meats, 860., aredried or preserved by being passed through a series of horizontal comp'artments 0r fines arranged one above the other, and through which hot air is circulated in a sinuous course.

The invention consists, essentially, first, in covering the top surface of the floors ofthe drying-compartments with metal or other material havin g superior power of conducting and reflecting heat, whereby the heat is attracted to the floors of said compartments, and which, in

conjunction with'partitions or barriers, is the means of preserving the ,fruit, 860., in their natural flavor; second, in A the combination, with the respective drying-compartments, of curtains or. other suitable partitions,'forming barriers and deflectors oi the hot-air current, to retard the escape of same, and thoroughly diffuse theheat in the compartments; third, in the combination, with the upper drying-compart ments, of hot-air flues or conductors extended from the hot-air furnace direct to said compartments, for regulating and equalizing the heat in the drier; and, fourth, in the combination, with the aforesaid compartments, of cold-air exits for the expulsion of cold air usually remaining dormant in the corners or recesses of the said compartments, and hitherto impairin g the effectiveness of th e drier, all constructed and arranged substantially in the manner hereinafter fully described. r

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure 1 is an isometric View of a fruit-drier provided with my improvements; Fig. 2, a longitudinal section of same; Fig. 3, a detail view of a portion of the floor of one of the dryingcompartments; Fig. 4, a perspective view of the side of the drier opposite that shown in Fig. 1, and Fig. 5 a transverse vertical section on linear w in Fig. 4.

Similar letters of reference indicate correspondingvparts. a

E represents the drying-chamber or evaporator, divided into a series" of horizontal compartments orflues, arranged oneabove the other, through which the substance to be dried or preserved is successively conveyed, the said compartments communicating with each otherby hatchways at alternate ends, and with a furnace underneath, from which the escaped through, thestaok without producing the desired effect on the fruit orother substance placed in the drier, and at the same time carried off the aroma and natural flavor emitted by the same during the process of drying orcuring. v

To prevent this waste. of heat and the deterioratingeifect on the substance to be dried or preserved, I cover the hitherto wooden floors B B of the respective drying-compartments with galvanized iron, tin, zinc, tile,orother material neutral to the action of aciduous gases, and having superior power of con-' ducting and reflecting heat.

Floors of this description, While presenting non-conducting ceilings to the compartment underneath, attract with their top surface the heat from above, and thus equalize the temperature in the compartments, and, in conjunction with certain deflectors or barriers hereinafter described, are the principal means of preserving the substance subjected to the process of drying in its natural flavor and aroma.

To retard the escape of the hot-air current with its attendant vapor emitted by the substance undergoingtreatment, and to thoroughly diffuse the same within the compartment, 1 place at proper positions or intervals in said compartment curtains A A, or other suitable partitions or barriers, fitted closely to the top and sides of the interior, and arranged to be adjustable in their proximity to the floor, as

illustrated by knobs or handles 1*, Fig. 4, on theprotrudin gend of the curtain-roller, 'sothat? the ingress and egress of the hot-air current can be regulated. .By means of these barriers the current of hot air is deflected to the bottom of the compartment, and with its natural ascent between the barriers it is imparted a roving or sinuous course as indicated by dot ted line in the drawing, and becomes thoroughly difi'used within the compartment. The vapor meanwhile emitted bythe substance subjected to the heat, becoming dense andheavy, descends through the saidsubstance to, the floor of the compartment. This, having become heated, immediately evaporates the moisture, and causes the vapor to again rise and penetrate the car or crate containing the aforesaid substance, and thus constantly 611- Z velops the substance in its own vapor and its attendant aroma and saccharine atoms, which 1 The r ma.

hitherto were allowed to escape. I I being absorbed by the said substance, and he saccharine matter ibrming a coating on the surface thereof, it is evident that this process preserves the aroma and natural flavor in the fruit d h r b tan nd ccnsta fly en.- riches the same.

'I'o adapt the apparatus for drying or preserving substances of various natures, andfor different purposes, I connect with' the transparent portion of the dryin g-chambera removable cover, such as a curtain, G, or door D, as

illustrated in the accompanying drawing. By means of this cover the light can be excluded from the interior of the. chamber E, when con-' taining substances in which discoloration is objectionable, while at the same time obserture of raisins and other dried fruit, which require special care and management.

P P are the direct hot-air flues or conductors, extended on the exterior of the drier from the furnace to the upper drying-compartments,

and provided with a damper for regulating.

the ingress of the hot air to the latter; By this adjunct, the temperature in the several drying-compartments can be equalized or varied at pleasure.

S S are the cold-air exits, in the form of I opened when first starting the heat in the drier, so that the cold air, which usually re- 7 mains for some time dormant in the corners of the upper drying-compartments, may be a1- lowed to escape, thus insuring a uniform temperature throughout the drying-chamber, and expediting the process of drying or curing.

a n hu es ribed. my nven on, Wha I claim 1." In combination with the deflectors A A, csnstru tel as shown, the flours B B, cov red with material: av n tow r o onducts an reflecting heat, substantially as described, for he, p rpose pe fied-v I an appara u f r ry s flne fruit and other substances, the combination, with l he dry ng-c mp rtment pr id lw th eans i10 assi g a curr vfh t ai t ro hem/ as described, of the barriersor deflectors A A,

; substantially as described and shown, for the ipurpose set forth, 1

;n,;the w h n-des r bed fruit-drier, h

i inbinatien an ar ng m w th he pp r drying-compartments,of the direct hot-air con- R tQiS P ubstan a y a des bed nd hcw Qr the purp se Sette h.

h m na io n ran em nt th t e. dry ng-chamb yp id w th means Q -T pa ng a, ur nto ho a r hro h t f 5 th cold-air exits S S, substantially as and for the purp se. pe fied- OSGAR FFANY- W tnesses:

C. P. BRAD Las a. 

